FREE ESSAY ON THE NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE IN THE RED CONVERTIBLE

THE NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE IN THE RED CONVERTIBLE

The Native American Culture in The Red Convertible
In the short story The Red Convertible, by Louise Erdrich, the author, contrasts the old
way of life versus the new. Erdrich does this through metaphorical symbols: the color
red, convertible, summer trip, and the fancy dance Henry performs before his death
(Erdrich p. 468).
In the story, the color red symbolizes many things. The convertible is red. Lyman also
said his brother, had a nose big and sharp as a hatchet, like the nose on Red Tomahawk
(Erdrich p. 467). Also when the brothers took their final journey Lyman says, We started
off east, toward Pembina and the Red River (Erdrich p. 467). The color red, in this
story, represents Henry's will to be free. The convertible appears in a bright red
because, while driving the car, Henry feels trapped by the white man's war (Erdrich p.
467). By returning to the Red River Henry regains his spiritual freedom. According to The
American Heritage book of Indians, the Red Sticks were and anti-American faction that
fought to keep the white man out, and their heritage strong (p. 221). With this
information, the Red Sticks, and the color red, represented in the story can be linked in
their feelings with anti-Americanism (The American Heritage book of Indians p. 221).
Lyman says, He said he wanted to give the car to me for good now, it was no use (Erdrich
p. 468). By Henry giving Lyman the red convertible, he is foreshadowing his death. In the
Chippawa culture gifts are given to the family of the deceased (The Chippawas of Lake
Superior p. 16). A remnant of the deceased was kept, wrapped in birch bark, this spirit
bundle was then kept for a year and later given to the family (The Chippawas of Lake
Superior p. 16). Lyman knows that Henry is preparing him for Henry's death by giving him
the car. Lyman states, No way. I don't want it, referring to the car (Erdrich p. 468).
Lyman refuses this gift because he does not want Henry to die. The red convertible also
represents a curative charm (The Chippawas of Lake Superior p. 19). In the Chippawa
culture, a charm was given to the injured or diseased. This charm was used in many ways
to: stimulate love, attract wealth, insure a successful journey, and to counteract evil
(The Chippawas of Lake Superior p. 19). The charm consisted of an artifact that
represented the individual or a figurine (The Chippawas of Lake Superior p. 19). The car
was Henry's charm form Lyman. Lyman states, I thought the car might bring the old Henry
back somehow (Erdrich p. 466). Lyman could see Henry was sick, so by reconnection Henry
with the car, he thought the Henry would get better.
To understand why the brothers took tow trips, one to Alaska, and the other at the end of
the story, the Nomadic lifestyle of the Chippawas must be examined. The Chippawas led a
seminomadic life, dependent upon the seasons (The Chippawas of Lake Superior p. 10). At
the beginning of the story, Henry and Lyman venture off for the summer. The brothers end
up in Alaska, which symbolizes their search for new hunting ground (The Chippawas of Lake
Superior p. 11). The final journey, that the boys embark on, represents Henry's return to
nature. Lyman identifies Henry's feeling by stating, When everything starts changing,
drying up, clearing off, you feel like your whole life is starting. Henry felt it too
(Erdrich p. 467). 
When Henry and Lyman reach their final destination, something comes over Henry. Lyman
identifies this change when he states, I think it's the old Henry (Erdrich p. 468).
However, Lyman doesn't understand Henry's next move when he says, He throws off his
jacket and starts springing his legs up form the knees like a fancy dancer...He's wild
(Erdrich p. 468). To understand Henry's fancy dancing, the reader must be aware of the
cultural ties the Chippawa have to dancing. The origin of the Chippawa dancing drum is
told through an old legend (The Ojibwa Dance Drum p. 44). The legend begins with an old
Indian woman, who lost her four sons fighting the white man. This woman took refuge in a
lake. Hiding from the white man, under lillypads, the Great Spirit told her how to ward
off the white man (The Ojibwa Dance Drum p. 44). To do this, the Great Spirit told her to
make a drum, and taught her songs to sing when the white man returned (The Ojibwa Dance
Drum p. 44). When the woman returned to her people, she told the men how to sing the
songs. The Great Spirit said, It will be the only way you are going to stop the soldiers
from killing your people (The Ojibwa Dance Drum p. 44). When the white men returned to
the village, they heard the drum and saw the dancing, they then put down their arms, and
stopped the killing (The Ojibwa Dance Drum p. 44). By looking at this story's background,
and understanding the difficulties Henry went through, the reader can understand the
meaning of Henry's fancy, wild dance (Erdrich p. 468). Henry was sent to fight in a white
man's war, and upon his return, he had changed. henry's dance symbolically represents his
rejection of war. Henry, tortured by the memories of war, performs this dance in hopes of
warding of the nightmares. The lake country red man's lifestyle developed from an
acceptance of his environment, not from its transformation (The Chippawas of Lake
Superior p. 6). This statement in effect describes Henry. Henry couldn't accept the
changes that were occurring around him, therefore he took his own life. 
Symbolically, the author, Louise Erdrich uses the culture of the old Native Americans to
explain the actions demonstrated by the characters in the story. The convertible can be
looked at as a charm to help the sick. The nomadic lifestyle is demonstrated by the trips
taken by the brothers. Also Henry's dance symbolizes the fighting of the American
soldiers.